Bend, Never Break: CHROME
by Sora no hono KHR
Summary: She is the quiet mist that no one really noticed, the girl who was abandoned by those that should have cared, and then got a second chance to spread her wings. Since Chrome bends, and never breaks. Part One of the "Bend, Never Break" series.


As she is birthed, she is named Nagi.

 _Nagi means_ _ **calm**_ _and_ _peace_ _._

She never fits in when it comes to her mother's parties or her step father's business arrangements. Nor did she ever relate those her own age. Instead, she merely observes her surroundings, never saying a word unless spoken too.

 _How ironic, silence is what defines her._

Her mother is an influential woman, a diamond glowing among stones, a star shinning against the sky, and beauty that captures many hearts and shatters more. At least that's what the tabloids say. Her step father is rich, well-connected, and can argue a good bargain. But she is just a little girl who loves cats and wandering the streets at night looking at the stars wishing to escape into the sky. She wants to be able to soar free.

 _Strange, mysterious, not 'normal', and distant from the world around her._

Nagi is born as winter begins. As the last leaves of autumn fade away, as the skies darken for the coming snow and the world seems to fall into a deep slumber before reawakening as spring comes.

 _Into ice, into purity, into silence_

When she runs in front of the car, the only thought on her mind is to save the innocent black cat with wide green slit eyes. Her life does not flash before her eyes. Her mind doesn't wonder why she reacts so quickly.

All she thinks is, 'At least my life means **something** now'.

In her mother's eyes, she is strange and an alien. In her step-father's eyes, she is weak and frail.

For Nagi, she just wants to mean something for someone.

 _He is wearing a white dress shirt and dark dress pants. She wonders if he is an angel, she is dying after all. Then he says the oddest things, about how similar they are and yet different, how his wandering had brought him here to her dreams, and finally asks whether she would help him. That he has need of her. Would she help him?_

… _Yes…_

When Nagi dies, she is reborn as Chrome Dokuro.

 _Dokuro means_ _ **skull**_.

She is scared; terror fills her thoughts. What if they don't accept her? Mukuro-sama says that they will, but will they really? She's been abandoned too many times to know anymore.

 _How fitting, skull reflects how she is truly_ _dead_ _. Nagi is gone. She was_ _ **murdered**_ _by expectations and_ _ **shattered**_ _by the harshness of life. In her place,_ _rises_ _Chrome Dokuro._

Boss believes in her, finally someone understands her. Is she lucky enough to finally find a family? Or is this a dream? If it is, she doesn't want to wake up. Ever.

 _Bold, mysterious, in debt, and hopeful._

Chrome Dokuro is born in spring.

 _Into warmth, into love, into life_

She joins the Vongola Famglia, not expecting anything, or wishing for anything in particular. The only thing she **wants** is to be  wanted.

 _Nothing else._

The day dawns when Chrome is challenge by an opposing family because no one believes a female is worthy to be a guardian.

Her opponent is a well known illusionist and according to rumors, famous for being a prodigy. It seems quite obvious who will win. Who expects some nobody to win against someone born and raised into a lifestyle she has only begun to enter at the age of thirteen?

Yet, as the judge countdown to the start of the fight and as Chrome slip into a balance stance, with one hand tight on her trident, a determine gaze flickers into her eyes and her opponent knows then that there is more to this guardian than meets the eye.

Then Chrome attacks.

She attacks with the determination of Gokudera and the judgment of Yamamoto and the swiftness of Ryohei. She moves forward with Hibari's cold bites of steel, Mukuro's twisting illusions, and Lambo's unforgiving lighting stings. She fights with Reborn's calmness and Tsuna's protectiveness. But her grace, skill, and dying will are all her own.

 _Because Chrome bends and never breaks._

So she dodges under her opponent, blinds and binds him to her twisting sakura illusions, and pins him to the floor so swiftly the fight is over before it even begins. With a soft voice and tightening her grip on his wrists, her trident digging lightly into his neck, she whispers gently, "Surrender."

And seeing that he has no options, no weapons because she had blown them away, no illusions because as a certain mist user once said, "when you become consumed by another's illusions you surrender your perceptions of reality", and no resolution in sight, because even he is left in awe by the female guardian's strength as he fought her. It is with no regret that he says, "I forfeit."

Everyone is shocked, a prodigy losing to this female weakling?

…Except for storm who grudgingly nods in respect but really is cheering on the inside.

Except for rain who smiles widely in victory and fist pumps in the air with excitement.

Except for sun who cheers while waving his fists in triumph with shouts of EXTREME.

Except for lighting who chews on his grape candy, wondering if Chrome-neechan will give him more candy later and is happy that she won, with his help of course.

Except for cloud who closes his eyes dismissively but truly is proud on the inside for the herbivore who becomes an omnivore.

Except for mist who chuckles to himself as he watches from the shadows, a teasing smile on his lips, and nodding in satisfaction of his Nagi.

Except for a hitman who tilts his fedora down and smirks, he knows that the dying will never lies about true potential.

Except for sky wearing a fond smile on his lips, eyes as bright as the clear heavens above, and looking knowingly at his female mist guardian who finds her calling in the most surprising times.

Except for a girl with purple tint hair and eye, blushing under both the cheers of those who believe in her and the shocked clapping of those who don't, who stand with her head high.

After two lifetimes of hiding in the shadows, Chrome Dokuro _(Nagi)_ steps into the light and **shines**.


End file.
